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How About a Revival of OLIVER!

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#1

How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:14pm

Last night I watched the 1948 British film OLIVER TWIST on Turner Classic Movies and it brought back memories of my seeing the original British import on Broadway in 1963. The musical version of the famous Dickens classic starred Clive Revill and Georgia Brown and was a stunner. It had what may have been the first use of a turntable unit set by the gifted Sean Kenny which kept the action going non stop. OLIVER! received 5 rave reviews and had a profitable run of 774 performances at the Imperial Theatre.

I can't recall if it has ever been revived in NYC but it is frequently revived in London. It is a wonderful show IMO and a revival here would be welcome, both to the discerning New York City theatregoers and to tourists who might remember the overly long movie version.

What do you think?
"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"
#2

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:15pm

Julia Murney would be great as Nancy.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#3

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:25pm

There was a tour not so long ago. I only know because Colin Bates was on it. I've done Oliver once, and will probably e in it again this Christmas over here. It's a great show. However, I definitely don't think it was the first turntable.
The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.

Derek Mahon

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."

Arthur Miller
#5

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:28pm

I like the idea of Audra better, but I don't think either of them are ideal.

I just wouldn't buy Audra with a lower class English accent.

And I don't want to hear Murney jackhammer her way through the score.

"As long as he-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e ne-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-eds m-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e!"


"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson
#7

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:30pm

See jackhammer comment above...
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson
#8

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:33pm

hahaha.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
#9

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:38pm

Nancy is supposed to be a little younger than that...

Maybe Leslie Kritzer? Can she do dramatic roles?
#11

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:45pm

Sutton Foster's voice is ideal, though I don't know how effectively she can pull off something other than a wide-eyed ingenue.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson
#12

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:49pm

I can't see Foster as Nancy at all. Her vibrato does to me what Murney's does to you.

How about Mary Stuart Masterson?
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#13

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:50pm

Way too old, and doesn't have the belt.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson
#14

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:55pm

How about a non-name for Nancy? I think OLIVER! is well-known enough to not need a name. Usually, hiring a name for a camp role is OK, such as Miss Hannigan in ANNIE. However, Nancy isn't that type of role. The only role I think where stunt casting would be suitable is that of Fagan.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
#15

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:57pm

Funny, I never have had a problem with Julia Murney's vibrato. Carolee Carmello's is a little much for me though...

What about Erin Davie for Nancy? I actually don't know the show very well so that's just based on your qualms about other possible performers. Would she be too young?
#16

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:57pm

We weren't throwing out stunt names...
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson
#17

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:59pm

How are those stunt names? The reason they are names is because they have proven their conisderable talents in musical theatre. So why on earth should they not be considered? Because they are already known for their talent?
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."

The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#18

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 1:59pm

I know you all hate her but I think Idina Menzel could be good in this role. She has the rawness Nancy needs.
#21

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 2:01pm

"I think Idina Menzel could be good in this role"

But the role of Nancy requires a great actress, not just a singer.
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."

The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#22

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 2:01pm

I could see Ramirez. How about Alice Ripley?
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#23

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 2:01pm

love this show. I would love to see Sutton as Nancy. Sutton or Audra.
And you think of all of the things you've seen, and you wish that you could live in between ,and you're back again only different than before... After the Sky. -Into the Woods (Jack)
#24

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 2:04pm

I wouldn't cast Sutton as Nancy, I just meant that I like her voice.

The only thing raw about Idina Menzel is her vocal chords.


I'd like to see a real Brit do the role.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson
#25

re: How About a Revival of OLIVER!

Posted: 4/21/07 at 2:09pm

What I meant was that for Broadway insiders, we know the names. Nancy is the type of role where it gives an unknown a chance to be discovered.

I was at a meeting a few months ago for a new New York production. The leading name was secured and they were discussing featured roles. It literally went "we can get Kristin or Audra for this role and Karen or Bebe or Charlotte for that role." Nothing wrong with using these talents, but I hate how they don't even open up the roles for unknowns (for the record, they did of course hold EPAs for the roles but still ended up casting who they wanted. This business truly IS who you know.)
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

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